Construction of roofings, partitions, and the like



Dec. 5, 1933. H. L. PLUMMER ET AL 1,938,496

CONSTRUCTION OF ROOFINGS, PARTITIONS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 4, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet l WW g Dec. 5, 1933. H. L. PLUMMER n AL 1,933,496

CONSTRUCTION OF ROOFINGS, PARTITIONS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 4, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ../u, 6? iirm Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CONSTRUCTION OF ROOFINGS, PARTI- TIONS, AND THE LIKE HerbertLeonard Plummer and Davis Iambert Irwin, London, England 8 Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of roofings, decks,partitions and like structural surfaces comprising a substantially flatpanel of the kind provided adjacent to one of its sides with a plainflange and adjacent to an opposite side with a curved flange adapted tointerengage with the plain flange of a similarly formed adjacent panel,and with reinforcing ribs extending lengthwise thereof, the extremitiesof which are adapted to interengage with the extremities of thereinforcing ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel.

The invention consists in a panel of the kind specified formed adjacentto one of its ends with cut away portions adapted to facilitate theinterengagement of the extremities of the ribs with the extremities ofthe ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, and adjacent to itsopposite end with further cut away portions adapted to facilitate accessto and adjustment by means of a suitable tool of fastening means passedthrough holes in the bases of the ribs.

Preferably in accordance with the invention the cut away portions atboth ends of the panel are located above and adjacent to the extremitiesof the ribs, thereby exposing at one end of the panel portions theinterior surfaces of the ribs into engagement with which the extremitiesof the ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel are adapted to beadmitted, and at the other end of the panel portions the interiorsurfaces of the bases of the ribs upon which thefa'stening means areadapted to be tightened down in order to lock the interengagingextremities of the ribs of adjacent panels together and to a structuralsupport.

Conveniently the edges of the cut away portions or certain thereof maybe formed to provide seatings for covers which may be arranged inposition within the cut away portions after the panel has been securedin position, thereby ensuring that the resultant structure will expose asubstantially flat surface.

Where, for instance, the reinforcing'ribs are provided with flangessecured to the underneath side of the panel, the cut away portions maybe formed so as to expose parts of the said flanges which may beemployed as seatings for the covers, and optionally with such aconstruction the' recesses adjacent to the extremities-of the ribs inwhich the extremities of the ribs of an adjacent panel are adapted to beengaged -may be so formed that the flanges of the inserted ribs willcontact with the flanges of the exposed portions of the ribs intoengagement with which they are adapted to be admitted, thereby ensuringthat in the case of overlapping panels the thickness of the structuralsurface where the panels overlap will be only that of the doublethickness of the sheet from which a single panel is formed;

In order that satisfactory engagement may be secured between thereinforcing ribs of the panel and the reinforcing ribs of an adjacentpanel, portions of the ribs at one end of the panel may be formed ofsmaller cross section than the portions of the ribs adjacent to theopposite end of the panel, and for promoting satisfactory overlapping ofthe panels when a plurality of the same are assembled together on astructural surface, and for ensuring that the flanges on both sides ofthe said panels shall in such a surface lie in a substantially straightand uninterrupted line, both the curved flange and the plain flange attheir ends adjacent to the portions of the ribs of smaller cross sectionmay. be. provided with cut away portions against the ends of which theends of the flanges of an adjacent panel may be caused to abut, whileboth flanges at the opposite extremity of the panel may be provided withpressed in portions over which the extremities of the flanges adjacentto the cut away portions therein of an adjacent panel are adapted tooverlap.

The invention also extends to roofings, decks, partitions and likestructural surfaces compris ing a plurality of panels as above describedarranged in interlocking engagement to form ,a substantially flatsurface, which may thereafter be treated as for instance by theapplication thereto of flexible roofing material in sheet form forexample of the character of bituminized felt between which and thesurfaces of the panels there may optionally be arranged a layer of heatinsulating material.

The invention will be described further in detail byway of example withreference to the ac companying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view ofone construction in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an underneath view of the construc-" tion illustrated inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of an alternative construction. 7

Figure 4 is a view illustrating the method of assembling together aplurality of panels constructed in the manner illustrated in Figures 1to 3.

Figure 5 is a view of a section along the line VV of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a similar view to the view shown in Figure 5 butillustrating a modified form of construction.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a substantially fiat rectangular metalsheet provided adjacent to one of its sides with a downwardly directedplain flange 2 and. adjacent to its opposite side with a furtherdownwardly directed flange 3 having an upwardly curved portion 4 formingone side of a groove 5 in which the plain flange of an adjacentsimilarly formed panel is adapted to engage.

The downwardly extending portions of both flanges at one end of thepanel are formed with cut away portions, the extremities, 6, '7, ofwhich are adapted to abut against the ends of the flanges of an adjacentpanel, while adjacent to the opposite end of the panel the flanges areformed with pressed in portions 8, 9, over which those portions 10, 11of the flanges of a similarly formed panel adjacent to the cut awayportions therein are adapted to overlap.

Extending lengthwise of the metal sheet are a plurality of metalreinforcing ribs 12 in the form of rectangular section channel membersprovided with flanges 13 welded to the underneath side of the sheet. Theflanges may alternatively be soldered, riveted or secured in any othermanner to the sheet.

Adjacent to that end of the panel at which the flanges are provided withcut away portions, the reinforcing ribs are joggled to form portions 14of smaller cross section than the cross section of the ribs at theiropposite ends, and above each of the said portions of smaller crosssection the sheet is formed with a cut away portion of substantiallyrectangular form 15 exposing both a portion of the interior of thereinforcing ribs and also portions 16 of the flanges thereon which areadapted for use as seatings for rectangular sheet metal covers 1'7 whichmay be located thereon to close the said cut away portions after thepanel has been secured in position on the structure.

The object of exposing the interiors of portions of I the ribs at thisend of the panel is to facilitate access to suitable securing means forinstance hook bolts which may be passed through holes in the bases ofthe ribs and the nuts on the bolts may be tightened down on the saidbases by means of a suitable tool in order to secure the interengagingextremities of the ribs of adjacent panels to a purlin, rafter, or likestructural member.

In a like manner the panel is provided adjacent to its opposite endabove portions of the ribs adjacent to their extremities with furthercut away portions 18 exposing both the interiors of the end portions ofthe ribs and portions of the flanges thereon, and within the exposedportions of the ends of the ribs the joggled ends 14 of the ribs of anadjacent panel are adapted to be engaged, and when in this. positionhook bolts or the like may be passed through the over lapping-baseportions of the ribs and secured in position on a structural member inthe manner above indicated.

An alternative form of construction is shown in Figure 3 in which thegrooved flange 3 is cut away at an opposite end of the panel from thatillustrated in Figures 1 and 2, while the flange 2 remains of the sameform as that illustrated in the said figures.

In cases where it is desired that at the'points where the panels overlapthe effective thickness of the surface should be only that of twopanels,

the ends of the ribs instead of being of the form illustrated in Figure5 may be of the form illustrated in Figure 6, in which figure theflanges adjacent to the ends of the ribs on the upper panel are shown asbeing narrower than the cut away portions on the lower panel, so thatwhen the ends of the'two panels are in engagement with one another theflanges on the ends of the ribs of the uppermost panel will seatdirectly on the flanges on the ends of the ribs on the lowermost panel.

While in the above description certain details of construction have beenfurnished to illustrate by way of example certain suitable manners ofcarrying the invention into effect, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the details of construction set forth, andnumerous other manners of carrying the invention into effect may beemployed without exceeding the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A substantially flat panel adapted for use in the construction ofstructural surfaces comprising adjacent to one of its sides a plainflange and adjacent to an opposite side a curved flange adapted tointerengage with the plain flange of a similarly formed adjacent panel,reinforcing ribs extending lengthwise of the panel, the ends of whichribs are adapted to interengage with the extremities of the reinforcingribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, cut away portions formedadjacent to one end of the panel adapted to facilitate theinterengagement of the extremities of the ribs with the extremities ofthe ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, and further cut awayportions formed adjacent to the opposite end of the panel adapted tofacilitate access to and adjustment by means of a suitable tool offastening means passed through holes in the bases of the ribs.

2. A panel as claimed in claim 1 in which the cut away portions atbct'nends of the panel are located above and adjacent to the extremities ofthe ribs, thereby exposing at one end of the panel portions of theinterior surfaces of the ribs into engagement with which the extremitiesof the ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel are adapted to beadmitted and at the other end of the panel portions of the interiorsurfaces of the bases of the ribs upon which the fastening means areadapted to be tightened down in order to lock the interengagingextremities of the ribs of adjacent panels together and to a structuralsupport.

3. A substantially fiat panel adapted fer use in the construction ofstructural surfaces comprising adjacent to one of its sides a plainflange and adjacent to an opposite side a curved flange adapted tointerengage with the plain flange of a similarly formed adjacent panel,reinforcing 1 ribs extending lengthwise of the panel, the ends of whichribs at one end of the panel are formed of smaller cross section thanthe portions of the ribs at the opposite end of the panel so that asatisfactory engagement may be efiected between V the ribs at one end ofthe panel and the ribs at the end of an adjacent panel, cut awayportions formed adjacent to one end of the panel adapted to facilitatethe interengagement of the extremities of the ribs with the extremitiesof the ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, and further cut awayportions formed adjacent to the opposite end of the panel adapted tofacilitate access to and adjustment by means of a suitable tool offastening means passed through holes 'in the bases of the ribs, both thecurved flange and the plain flange at their ends adjacent to theportions of the ribs of smaller cross section being formed with cut awayportions against the ends of which the flanges of an adjacent panel areadapted to abut, while both flanges at the opposite extremity of thepanel are provided with pressed in portions over which the extremitiesof the flanges adjacent to the cut away portions therein of an adjacentpanel are adapted to overlap.

4. A structural surface formed of interlocking substantially flatpanels, each of which comprises adjacent to one of its sides a plainflange and adjacent to an opposite side a curved flange adapted tointerengage with the plain flange of a similarly formed adjacent panel,reinforcing ribs extending lengthwise of the panel, the ends of whichribs are adapted to interengage with the extremities of the reinforcingribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, cut away portions formedadjacent to one end of the panel adapted to facilitate theinterengagement of the extremities of the ribs with the extremities ofthe ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, and further cut awayportions formed adjacent to the op posite end of the panel adapted tofacilitate access to and adjustment by means of a suitable tool offastening means passed through holes in the bases of the ribs.

5. A structural surface as claimed in claim 4 in which the cut awayportions at both ends of the panel are located above and adjacent to theextremities of the ribs, thereby exposing at one end or" the panelportions of the interior surfaces of the ribs into engagement with whichthe extremities of the ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel areadapted to be admitted and at the other end of the panel portions of the1 interior surfaces of the bases of the ribs upon which the fasteningmeans are adapted to be tightened down in order to lock the interengagasimilarly formed adjacent panel, reinforcing ribs extending lengthwiseof the panel, the ends of which ribs at one end of the panel are formedof smaller cross section than the portions of the ribs at the oppositeend of the panel so that a satisfactory engagement may be effectedbetween the ribs at one end of the panel and the ribs at the end of anadjacent similarly formed panel, cut away portions formed adjacent toone end of the panel adapted to facilitate the interengagement of theextremities of the ribs with the extr mities of the ribs of a similarlyformed adjacent panel, and further cut away portions formed adjacent tothe opposite end of the panel adapted to facilitate access to andadjustment by means of a suitable tool of fastening means passed throughholes in the bases of the ribs.

7. A structural surface formed of interlocking substantially flatpanels, each of which comprises adjacent to one of its sides a plainflange and adjacent to an opposite side a curved flange adapted tointerengage with the plain flange of a similarly formed adjacent panel,reinforcing ribs extending lengthwise of the panel, the ends of whichribs at one end of the panel are formed of smaller cross section thanthe portions of the ribs at the opposite end of the panel so that asatisfactory engagement may be effected between the ribs at one end ofthe panel and the ribs at the end of an adjacent similarly formed panel,cut away portions formed adjacent to one end of the panel adapted tofacilitate the interengagement of the extremities of the ribs with theextremities of the ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, andfurther cut away portions formed adjacent to the opposite end of thepanel adapted to facilitate access to and adjustment by means of asuitable tool of fastening means passed through holes in the bases ofthe ribs, both the curved flange and the plain flange at their endsadjacent to the portions of the ribs of smaller cross section beingformed with cut away portions against the ends of which the flanges ofan adjacent panel are adapted to abut, while both flanges at theopposite extremity of the panel are provided with pressed in portionsover which the extremities of the flanges adjacent to the cut awayportions therein of an adjacent panel are adapted to overlap.

8. A structural surface formed of interlocking substantially flatpanels, each of which comprises adjacent to one of its sides a plainflange and adjacent to an opposite side a curved flange adapted tointerengage with the plain flange of a similarly formed adjacent panel,both the curved flange and the plain flange adjacent to one end of thepanel being formed with cut away. portions against the ends of which theflanges of an adjacent similarly formed panel are adapted to abut, whileboth flanges at the opposite extremity of the panel are provided withpressed in portions over which the extremities of the flanges adjacentto the cut away portions therein of an adjacent panel are adapted tooverlap, reinforcing ribs extending lengthwise of the panel, the ends ofwhich ribs are adapted to interengage with the extremities of thereinforcing ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, cut away portionsformed adjacent to one end of the panel adapted to facilitate theinterengagement of the extremities of the ribs with the extremities ofthe ribs of a similarly formed adjacent panel, and further cut awayportions formed adjacent to the opposite end of the panel adapted tofacilitate access to and adjustment by means of a suitable tool offastening means passed through holes in the bases'of the ribs.

HERBERT LEONARD PLUMMER. DAVIS LAMBERT IRWIN.

